A Place of Wonder
by Derry
Summary: Because EVERYONE should see it, at least once, if they get the chance. Originally written for the Earthside challenge at sgaflashfic


**_A Place of Wonder _**  
by Derry

**Rating:** Is it "K" for kids? Basically, nothing to offend anyone much, I shouldn't think.  
**Spoilers/warnings:** Set in season 2 but no major spoilers. Gen, no pairings.

_Written for the Earthside challenge at the sgaflashfic community on LiveJournal. _

There's a lot of human activity. It is a main thoroughfare and for a long time none of the people pay much attention to him. They pass him by on their way to other destinations, many of them talking and gesturing frenetically. But he knows that there is no crisis. There is just too much for them to see and do for them to stop and take an interest in him. As the colonel has told him, this is "the busiest time of the year" at this place.

So he stands very still and observes, as is his way. He does nothing to draw attention to himself, as he watches. Eventually he does begin to marvel that they continue to ignore him. He knows that he has not been demonstrative and he knows that there are numerous wonders around them to observe - and yet, he did rather expect at least one person to express some degree of surprise at his presence. Perhaps it is as the colonel said, the people here think they've seen it all and it would take something far more unusual than him to get their attention.

The first person to pay him any heed is a child. This is unsurprising. They are usually more inquisitive and bolder than their adult counterparts. But even this first contact is not what he would consider to be genuine interest in him. The child and its parent pass by at a determined speed, one that indicates they have a definite destination in mind and limited time in which to reach it, and the child reaches out and pats his head as it walks past.

"Please, don't" is all he says, mildly, softly, as is his way.

He has little expectation that they will even hear him, but they clearly do. Both parent and child cease their progress abruptly and turn to look at him. Their eyes slightly widen but only to a degree that demonstrates surprise, not amazement. However, he also suddenly has the attention of several other passersby, some of whom choose to vocalise their surprise.

"Oh, my god!"

"Hey, did you see that?"

"Wow! He's so cute!"

The small gathering clusters around him. Fortunately, no one else touches him, so he merely turns his head to observe each of them and blinks a few times.

"Hey that's awesome!"

He turns to look at the speaker, a male who has not quite reached adulthood, and inquires, "Awesome?"

"Oh, wow! Did it just repeat what I said?"

"I was merely querying in what sense I inspired awe." He lifts a hand as he says this. It draws gasps from the small gathering which he notices has now become slightly larger.

"Wow."

"I had no idea..."

"...thought he was just a statue..."

"Why is it out here and not inside?"

The child, the one who touched him, approaches more tentatively this time and again reaches out a hand. "Hello. I'm Charlie, but I'm not a boy. I'm a girl. It's short for Charlotte."

He just looks at the extended hand but replies. "I am Hermiod. I am not a boy or a girl."

There are a few laughs from the people around them and Charlie smiles. "No, you're a robot."

That is an error that he feels requires correction. "I am not a robot. I am an Asgard."

Someone at the back of crowd queries "Asgard? What's that? Name of the company doing the animatronics these days?"

Finally, he hears a voice that he recognises. As Dr McKay would say, it is about time.

"Yeah, that's us Asgard Animatronics."

And Colonel John Sheppard appears, gently pushing through what is now a small crowd. He usually projects an air of easy confidence, but the smile he is currently wearing is vaguely uncertain and apologetic. An apology directed at the onlookers though, not at the Asgard he has left waiting for over half of an Earth hour.

"Excuse me, I need to get to the little guy and make sure he hasn't busted a wire or something."

The people part to let him through and when he reaches Hermiod, he crouches to the Asgard's eye level, but then turns to the girl, Charlie, and directs a very wide and open smile at her which makes her giggle and retreat back to her parent, half hiding behind the woman's legs. Hermiod wonders if that parent will be annoyed that her child appears to have been disconcerted, but the colonel then redirects his gaze up and the parent's face immediately dissolves into an answering smile. If there was any transgression, it has clearly been forgiven.

Hermiod sighs. Loudly.

It has no effect towards wiping the grin off the colonel's face. When he turns back, his gaze is directed at Hermiod, but his voice is clearly pitched for the benefit of the crowd. "Hey, buddy! Maybe we'd better see if we can't get you beamed back up to the ship."

And he taps the earpiece of the headset he is wearing to open a channel. Again the people around them do not demonstrate any significant degree of surprise.

The black t-shirt and grey pants that the colonel is wearing does not look at all incongruous amongst the people here, who wear a wide range of attire. Some even wear articles resembling the headset communication device. Still, Hermiod would have thought that the colonel's statement about "beaming" him to a ship might perplex them to some degree, but it doesn't. They merely watch with expectant amusement as Colonel Sheppard conducts a conversation with his co-conspirator aboard the Daedalus.

The colonel's grin becomes even broader as he watches Hermiod's eyes narrow.

"Hey, Rodney! Yep, found him. Outside Space Mountain." A quick glance around the crowd. "Around twenty-five. No, probably not a good idea."

Colonel Sheppard's face morphs into that notorious expression of feigned innocence. Hermiod last saw it only two hours ago, when the colonel claimed that there was a research facility in California, a state on the Western coast of his native country, that Hermiod really should see. And Hermiod also recalls that Dr McKay wore a similar expression when he assured them that he had sufficiently mastered the coordination system of Asgard matter transmission technology to place them both within one metre of their target destination.

The Asgard now finds it almost impossible to believe that he accepted either of their assurances at the time. That "innocent" expression from either of them, separately, is considered warning enough amongst the crew of the Daedalus. From both simultaneously or in quick succession usually heralds the type of "mission" that makes Colonel Caldwell and Dr Weir mutter under their breath about early retirement.

Then Colonel Sheppard turns and actually _winks_ at the onlookers as he says, "Look, I thought I'd walk him around to a more quiet spot before you beam us back to the Daedalus."

Since the colonel seems utterly unconcerned with discussing highly classified issues in such a public place, Hermiod decides to add his own message for the human scientist. "Please remind Dr McKay that he assured me that he could accurately direct the technology and that has proved not to be the case."

"Rodney? Hermiod says your beaming out skills suck."

There is evidently a long and detailed answer from the Daedalus and the colonel laughs in that low, barely contained fashion usually refererred to as a "snigger".

"Rodney, bringing his skin colour into it is just plain wrong. I'm sure he could get you on some anti-discrimination lawsuit or something for that."

Someone at the back of their audience guffaws. Hermiod narrows his eyes at the individual. The colonel also swings around to face them, eyes glowing with mischief and hilarity even as he listens to another long diatribe. He claps his hand over the mouthpiece of the headset and gleefully informs them "You guys really should hear this!" Then a flash of utterly feigned remorse. "But, no. Sorry, can't let you do that. Security issues and all that."

He straightens and clears his throat, directing his gaze to a point just above his head, as if composing himself. Anyone who didn't know him might think he was trying to be serious. "Hey, Rodney." There is again a pause as he listens. Evidently Dr McKay's tirade has not quite finished. "Rodney..." Another pause and the colonel's face loses some of its patience. "RODNEY!"

There seems to be a response and Colonel Sheppard again clears his throat before continuing in a more measured tone. "As I said, he and I are going to go somewhere quieter and then I'll give you a call and you can beam us back." Another pause. "You can tell him all that yourself, when he's back on board." Again mirth creeps into his voice as he signs off. "I'm sure he's looking forward to it. Talk to you soon."

Then he turns to the crowd, which has grown to considerably more than twenty-five by now. "Okay, folks. That's the end of the show. Hermiod and I have a spaceship to catch. Thanks for watching us and we hope you enjoy the rest of your day."

He reaches down to grasp Hermiod's shoulder and guide him through the crowd, who burst into applause, as they part before them.

Except one, who catches the colonel's shoulder. "Hey, you're great. Any chance of hiring you guys?"

"Sorry, we're under contract with the park. Maybe if you talk to the management, they might be able to arrange something."

The colonel's grip on Hermoid's shoulder becomes slightly firmer and his step a little more determined, but these are the only signs that he isn't completely at ease - enjoying himself immensely, in fact. Hermiod cannot help muttering in his own native language under his breath.

When they have reached what he considers a safe distance for discussion and the sound of the applause has died away, Hermiod reminds Colonel Sheppard of his initial description of this place.

"You informed me that this was a research facility."

The colonel shrugs. "Well, sorta... It's a place of wonder and discovery. Hey, if you were an Asgard anthropologist... do the Asgard have anthropologists? Anyway, if they did and you were one, then this would be an excellent place to research human interactions."

"Indeed, but I am not an Asgard anthropologist. So why did you think it was necessary for me to see this place?"

Colonel Sheppard chuckles, clearly knowing that he can't hide his deception any longer, but just as clearly completely unrepentant about that deception. "Because, Hermiod, _everyone_ should see Disneyland, at least once, if they get the chance. Hey..."

Hermiod turns to again see that characteristic raising of the eyebrows and tilt of the head that puts any sane man, woman or Asgard on heightened alert. "What?"

"I was just wondering if we could get you on the Pirates of the Carribean ride on a kid's ticket..."

* * *

**Author's notes/apologies: **I've never been to Disneyland and my entire research for this consisted of a search via google and wikipedia to find out what rides were still open. And this is unbeta-ed, so please forgive any factual inaccuracies with regard to the theme park. 


End file.
